ITV wins rights to show live FA Cup

ITV and Setanta Sports have won the rights to screen the FA Cup and England home football internationals in a new deal worth £425 million, it has been announced.

The FA said the two broadcasters had won the bidding for a four-year deal from August 2008 - snatching the live rights away from the BBC and BSkyB, who have held them for seven years.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick said his organisation was "delighted" with the new TV rights deal, which he said would provide more investment for football at all levels. And he assured football fans the agreement would ensure continued free-to-air terrestrial screening of key matches.

The contract is a coup for new ITV executive chairman Michael Grade, who described it as a "seriously good commercial deal".

"ITV is pleased to be returning both the FA Cup and England games to our viewers and advertisers," Mr Grade said.

"Our position is now substantially enhanced as the leading terrestrial free-to-air sports broadcaster."

He added: "We are sure this is a seriously good commercial deal for our viewers and advertisers and we think this is going to enhance ITV's position in the market. Overall we think we've paid the right price, we think this is going to be profitable for us and profitable for the FA.

"Already the reaction is very promising so we look forward to starting the new contract and I can't wait to get to Wembley."

Mark Sharman, ITV's director of news and sport, said: "This deal is fantastic news for ITV Sport and our viewers. Both the FA Cup and England internationals have the pulling power to bring valuable mass audiences to the channel.

"We're looking forward to bringing a fresh perspective to coverage of one of the world's greatest cup competitions and following the story of England's journey towards European Championship and World Cup qualification."